June 2022 Message

Beloved Family,

Greetings and Blessings of Light on our Western Hemisphere Summer Solstice!

Returned from the “Water for ALL” Peace Conference at the International Peace Palace in the Hague, Netherlands. The first event was a boat ride on the Rhine with spiritual leaders from around the world, scientists, engineers, and educators, with some sufi music. “Drink with the Beloved" opened the event and was followed by the scientists and engineers presenting on water projects, all the while enjoying the nature of the river.

The next day was at the International Peace Palace where we ceremonially mixed the water from 18 different rivers and we poured our love and heart stream in the One, with the aspiration to manifest care for the One, especially to the element of Water! It ended with all signing a Water Peace Pledge.

Then a “day off" to go birding in the marshes and water ways of Holland! Lastly, I led a retreat at the Sufi Center right by the Peace Palace where Hazrat Inayat Khan had taught in his time. Thanks to Saki Lee, Noor Helweg and Malika for making it happen.

In a week I go up to Lama Mountain for our first Sufi Sesshin since the beginning of the pandemic. We will try and do some live streaming from Murshid Sam’s Dargah through something like Facebook live. It depends on who is there as helpers to make it happen and we will do our best to let you know.

And in August you can come join in the inauguration of the new Dance Temple at the Southwest Sufi Community summer camp. In September I’ll be on a Turkish Caravanwith two back-to-back retreats.

Let’s return to a practice we did at the beginning of the pandemic, which also is in tune with the solstice. YA NUR - the Primordial Light which naturally is the same as Primordial Love, sometimes referred to as Nuri Muhammed or the Light of Christ. We can combine it with YA JABBAR which has as its root the doctor who puts broken bones back in alignment, said in another way “the Healer of Fractured Existence”.

Much love,

Shabda

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Wazifa Practice

Recite 101x

YA NUR ~ YA JABBAR

93. Ya Nur (yaa NOOR)

An-Nur is the essence of light, luminosity itself. A Qur'anic verse says, "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth." An-Nur is the light of every soul and an inherent characteristic in every pore of your body. Munawwir is a form of the same root and means the one who illuminates. It is interesting that the word for "hell" in Arabic is naar, which has the same root as Nur. What makes it hell is that the burning heat there is lacking in light. That kind of burning heat is our inner condition if we don't embody God's loving mercy and compassion (rahma) and instead become full of rage.

Whatever way we may turn, we see the all-pervading light of An-Nur. Even the darkness shines from within it. All the various forms of wisdom and guidance are expressions of An-Nur. For example, Nur-ul-Haqeeqah is the light of truth and guidance on the path. What continues to live on in God when we die is also a legacy of light.

9. Ya Jabbar (yaa jab-BAAR)

Al-Jabbar is an expression of divine power that allows you to accomplish things or to act in the world. It is a healing strength. It carries the root meaning of setting a broken bone to heal it. Al-Jabbar means the strength to continuously heal all things all the time, the strength to heal brokenness. It is compelling, but only in the sense of stabilizing you in a consistent direction of movement.

When recited, Ya Jabbar empowers the sincere practitioner with an enduring strength so that nothing can shake you. Through embodying this quality your existence becomes unified. It is the mender of our fractured existence.

To hear the pronunciation: Ya Nur ~ Ya Jabbar

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Text and Commentary to Study

This month we begin reading Githas, Series III, by Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan. Even though you may have studied this before you can read with fresh eyes.

Read and contemplate pages 5-18

Click here

to download the document Githas, Series III

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Upcoming Events and Teachings

Lama Foundation Sufi Sesshin June 29 – July 3

Annual Southwest Sufi Community Camp Aug 16 - 21

2022 DUP Turkish Caravan Sep 12 - 24

Conference of Birds Sep 26 – Oct 2

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PHOTOS

Photos from the Netherlands Trip